Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-17
FORT WORTH.
A Brief History of the Great Railroai
Center In the Great Southwest.
Immense Trade
The Destined Greatest City In tho South
west apd Unrivaled in Its Satur-
al Advantages
New York Star.

New York Star.
FORT WORTH, TEX, June l0.-Were
to tell you that eleven years ago the first
railroad entered this city; that the popu-
lation was only 1000; that to-day this
city has population of $4,000 and thir-
teen outlets by rail, you would not be
disposed to believe me.
Visitors, when being shown over this
place OF marvellous growth, wonder
alike at the past it has experienced and
the great future in store for it. A drive
over the city, 8 look atits principal build
ings erected and being erected, a careful
study of its resources, q knowledge of
the wonderful advance it has made, even
within the last year, is sufficient to con-
vince even the most skeptical that her
growth is bound 70 continue until she has
satisfied the wants of the surrounding
country. What has been the history of
this CITY? In 1875 it had population of
1000, and to-day it has st least $4,000.
It's marvellous growth is due 20
the fact that it is eXcellently located
as well as favored by nature. Built
upon a plateau open to every pure breeze,
il seems eminently fitted for the home of
manufactures and industries. The citi-
zens are not obliged to drink impure wa
ter, as is the case in other cities of Texas,
as the town is well supplied with arte-
sisn wells, the fame Of whose waters has
already brought hundreds of V sitors and
equally as many residents. Since 1876,
when the first artesidu we'll was bored,
until to-day, they have multiplied until
the public have en- abundance of the pur-
est water that ever Dlest9 people. There
is no gslnsayiDg tue question that it was
the railroads that tended most to build
up the city, but it Will be admitted that
the natural advantages and: excellent 10
2caticn of the place induced the railroads
go enter. On July is, 1876, the first rail-
road entered the city. As | write, the
seventh railroad, stretching away to the
southwest, is being finished. When the
first road entered, the total valuation Of
property il the city was S250,000. To-day
it is about 81, 600, 600, al increase Of 2400
per cent. in little over : decade. In 1850
the Missouri Pacific reached the city from
the northerz limits Of the state aud t!ieu
started southwark, making Fort Worth
the junction of the two greatest arteries of
commerce in the state. This road vas
followed in 1881 by the Gulf, Colorado
and Santa Fe, the Fort Worth and Denver
railways next year. SO wonderful was
the growth o; the city that, as on index
to her advancement, it may be stated that
the cost Of internal improvements
amounted TO S44G,9l6 SO. In 1886 the
Fort Worth and New Orleans Railway
wes built to WaXahaChie stretching
through the southeastern part OF Tarrsnt
county. The present year is an import
ant one in the history of the city, because
Of the fact that ii has demonstrated be
yond all doubt what Fort Worth can do,
as well as clearly proving the stability Of
property values Snd securities Of al
kinds. The long continued drouth had
no material effect whatever on her boom.
No sooner was the drouth over than it
seemed that dollars showered on the city.
Capital poured III, beautiful residences
went up, new railroads were projected,
manufactures came to the city, and this,
followed by the assurances of 8 splendid
crop the coming season, places the limits
OF Fort Worth's prosperity only in the
minds Of the most imaginative. The
country for hundreds Of miles around is
connected with the city.
In 1876 the jobbing trade CT this city
IGGCutu pOOOytUO AuC NllOlCSdlC blAl
now amounts TO $1,000, 900. One indica-
ton of city's greatness is the number
Of its banking houses and the capital in
volved. Fort Worth has six banks, as
follows: First National Bank, cash cap
ital S475, 600; Merchants National, cash
capital $500, coo: State National, 1916,
600, and the Fort Worth National, City
National, Traders National, the whole
representing total amount of cash cap
itel and surplus OF 81, SOC, 900.
The retail trade Of the city Is enor-
nous, the splendid country arOucd and
thlckly populated county being sufficient
to keep busy over twice the number o.
retail stores ct present located. 1t may
not be out Of question here to ask what
has built up all the great American cities.
What is Ell inducement to the location ct
manufacturing. Cheap fuel is the prin-
Cipal element, and that Fort Worth has
in abundance, as coal exists IN endless
quantities within radius Of 100 miles
of the ci Y. Natural gas is believed To
exist, as if is always found where coal is
plenty, and 8 stock company has been
organized to bore 70" the gas. As said
before, the pure water here is boon. 1t
flows from 100 wells and never runs dry.
One thing that speaks volumes for
the future Of Fort Worth is the cotton
market. Many thousands of bales are
annually brought 10 the city. Last gear
there were $4,000 bales compressed here.
The Farmers Alliance have established 8
cotton yard here and g movement is on
foot TO have the State Alliance Cotton
Mills erected here. The city drains the
surrounding country of its cotton, and
Increased freight competition will in all
probability increase the annual number
of bales sold, and IS the country is settled
up it will necessarily increase the pro
duction. The country tributary to Fort
Worth is very fertile, is wonderful in its
resources and is the great cattle country
OF the United States
The great prairie covered with grass IS
giving way TO the cultivated farm and
wild animal life to civilized man. Fort
Worth has every natural advantage which
sids in making q gresl city. But she
wants few more men with Cspital spd
push TO make heI the queen Of the boom
cities of the west. She wants the follow
Ing immediately, and she is going to hGye
them:
She wants natural gas, e paper mill,
cheaper lumber, more railroads, packing
houses, more wholesale houses, cotton
mills, wooden mills, the refrigerator
works operated, starch factory, more